Naoshima Art Island in 1 Day Tour — Guide Sam

What's a Private Naoshima Art Island Tour Like on a Rainy Day? A Licensed Guide's Report

Today's guests were a group visiting from North America. The two younger members of the group were lively and got along wonderfully, which was a pleasure to see. It rained all day today, but the group did not mind and enjoyed the tour together. While younger travelers sometimes lose interest easily, these guests were different — they were very curious and listened attentively to the educational explanations shared among the group. What surprised me even more was one member's excellent sense of direction, so strong that I wondered if they had an internal compass. The one disappointing point was that the popular exhibit, the yellow "Pumpkin" by Yayoi Kusama, had been temporarily removed since the previous day. The reason was to protect it from the strong winds. Come to think of it, this pumpkin was destroyed by a typhoon more than seven years ago. What made me break out in a cold sweat was the realization that if these strong winds had occurred today, the ferry from Uno to Naoshima would surely have been suspended, even if only for a few hours. Thinking about it this way, I was truly relieved that we were able to carry out the tour safely.

Click here for more details: Naoshima Art Island in 1 Day Tour with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Sam

My name is Susumu Hiramatsu. I am a national government licensed guide interpreter. I became a guide interpreter in 1992. My educational background started with a BA in law, then an MA in English language education, and completed a doctoral course without a degree in English language teaching. My occupational career began with a bank officer, then shifted to a translation and interpretation company, finally became a freelance translator, interpreter, and college teacher. I handle conference interpretation, namely simultaneous interpretation. As for the guide interpreter, my interest covers wide areas including politics and business, but I deem cultural aspects to be fundamental. I am always encouraging myself to be filled with Japanese hospitality.